Sejd

From the very southern parts of Sweden we find the alternative rock band ”Sejd” which bring us songs and compositions which sometimes runs for some 7-8 minutes and more. The term “Post-Rock” has been used to death and is quite worn out by now. Yet this is perhaps the easiest, laziest and fastest way to describe this band. 

                                                     Courtesy by: "Sejd"

                        

Many bands tend to put riff after riff as fast as they can, yet with “Sejd” there´s more of a quiet and slow “build-up”. Not calling your music explicit “crescendo music” or “Diminuendo music”, yet one can usually hear an idea slowly build up with different layers and grooves on top. How do you usually come up with your compositions?

Sejd: On our early songs we used to come up with specific ideas and riffs that we then worked around together. Recently our latest approach to composing has been to simply jam. Most of our ideas just come up when we play together.

Could you tell us a bit on how and why you started the band in the first place?

Sejd: It was actually a high school project by Mårten where he asked some of us to join in. Most of us come from the same school and had similar projects going at the time. Later it evolved to the band that it is today.

Since the earliest days of the band and up until this day and two albums later, how has the journey been so far?

Sejd: To be honest it has been a slow journey and a bunch of setbacks on the way. Everything from band members getting injured to gigs getting cancelled. Also it's a very nische genre and there isn't really a scene established in Sweden, even less so in Skåne. However since our latest release and last year we've had a lot more continuity and things are looking better.

                                       Courtesy by: "Sejd"

Not sounding pretentious, yet would you agree to some small amounts that your music is quite intellectual and perhaps for the sound nerds?

Sejd: Our music is more about evoking feelings and emotions. See it more as an art piece than “commercial music”. We think you need to have some patience to get into this kind of music. We've got international listeners and followers and our music seems to translate well.

People not familiar with the broad spectra of “Post Rock”, “Alternative Instrumental Rock” and so on, might when they hear you for the first time perhaps call your music for “Modern Jazz with elements of rock”. Do you come from a jazz background or is this just pure coincidence?
 

Sejd: Pure coincidence. We all have our very different musical backgrounds but we've actually never heard our music being called “modern jazz”.

Here´s a question which we tried long ago with another band. How would you describe your music for someone who can not hear?

Sejd: It's like an art piece being made or painted. Something like that.

Talking a bit about live concerts. “ICIT Webzine” also records concerts with bands from time to time. Do you prefer to play live or is your main focus to deliver studio albums and why so?

Sejd: Definitely live performances. The music can develop in another way and we like to see people's reactions to it.

When listening to your music it´s not hard to picture one of your songs on a soundtrack to a film. Perhaps a SCI-FI movie or a movie with slower tempo when zooming in a forest or standing up on a mountain and looking down at the landscape below. Have you thought of including your songs in other areas than on your albums and which soundtrack that already exists would you have wanted to be on?

Sejd: We actually had our music on some videos but we'd love to be featured more. Not a specific soundtrack, but anything with scenic landscapes like you're describing. Also anything with David Attenborough.

Last question for this time. Many bands always tend to describe every new album as a new effort and different to their last one. Is it important for you to evolve or is it more important that the songs come alive by themselves?

Sejd: It goes hand in hand. We want to develop our own style by experimenting with new sounds and instruments. It usually comes quite naturally and we think that's a good thing.

Many thanks for answering the questions for us!

Sejd are:

Anton Toresson

Mårten Wiklund

Robin Sandquist

Sebastian Falk

Joel Wååg

Sebastian Mårtensson

For more info about "Sejd" check:

https://sejd.bandcamp.com/music

http://www.facebook.com/sejdband